Not My Brother
by superscar
Summary: AU. Not long after Ben returns from Psy-Ops, he and Max are sent on a mission to get hoverdrone information from a Seattle family known as Cale. MaxBen No teeth. Well, they have them...just no pulling. COMPLETE
1. Default Chapter

Not my Brotherbr PG-13, for chocabr Max/Benp  
  
Author's Note: Here's the the rule: if Alec's not around, Ben is the answer. I'm answering my own challenge. As always, the NC-17 version of this story can be found at NWP: http://nunswithpens.hyperboards.com/  
  
Chapter One (not a stand alone, in other words)p  
  
Manticore 2019  
  
Ben was back again.  
  
She couldn't let them know how excited she was. It had been years since she'd seen him, though a series of bad luck. Ben was an excellent soldier, but volatile. He spent his time in and out of Psy-Ops and she heard he had to pop more pills than Manticore gave any of them.  
  
Max had been cleared for solo missions soon after Ben went into Psy-Ops in '13. He'd been in and out after that year, from Psy-Ops to missions and back again, but she'd heard he'd finally been cleared from Psy-Ops for good. For the first time since he'd gone in, she was there to see him.  
  
Turning the corner, Max looked to her brother expectantly, waiting for him to glance her way. He finally did, and a jolt ran through her body. It couldn't be Ben, yet she recognized him.  
  
Forcing her feet ahead of her, she pushed aside her surprising attraction to her brother. He was physically appealing and she hadn't seen him in awhile. When she was used to him again, they would get back to acting like brother and sister and this strange...awareness, would go away.  
  
"Welcome back," she cleared her throat as their eyes met.  
  
"Max?" he tilted his head, running his gaze over her body and back to her eyes. "You grew up," he smiled as flames burst to life in her stomach and she felt her face heat.  
  
"It's been a few years."  
  
"Miss me?" he bit his lip, watching her.  
  
"Of course, I-"  
  
"Hey, Ben!" Jhondy bounced into the conversation and Max backed off.  
  
***  
  
He could feel her eyes on him all the time, constantly aware of her. It had been confusing at first, his sudden interest in her. None of his other sisters stood out to him, though he supposed they were pretty enough compared to people he'd seen on missions.  
  
So far, none of his missions had involved much interaction with people, mostly military ventures and routine assassinations.  
  
But he'd seen his share of ordinaries. Enough to know that his sisters looked a lot better. Max, particularly.  
  
Turning, he met her eye, catching her staring.  
  
Clearly surprised, her eyes darted away immediately and he followed her gaze to Zack, who was looking back at Ben disapprovingly, shaking his head. Did he know what Ben was thinking? The way his mind had a tendency to imagine Max in various states of undress? His personal favorite being entirely, though he was certain Psy-Ops would have something to say about it.  
  
Not that they had a problem with sex. For the males, sex was encouraged on away missions, but Ben was a special case. Psy-Ops had started monitoring him years ago and it was terrifying, thinking they'd made some kind of mistake on his brain. They'd specifically ordered Ben not get involved with anyone and he knew they were afraid what he would do.  
  
Considering their love for screwing him over, it was a little surprising all the extra channels he got in his room on missions. They were probably just monitoring to see if he went for S&M or girl&girl. To Ben, this was a question of math. Two is better than one.  
  
Of course, his sisters hadn't been a channel option. Just the thought of Jhondy or Eva in that context was strange, but somehow when he imagined Max, or better yet, two Maxes, it was different.  
  
That thought, alone, was enough to realize Zack didn't know what was going through his head. Zack had always been protective of Max and would probably just kill Ben rather than bothering with the time it would take to glare at him.  
  
***  
  
Ever since Ben came back, Max had been having trouble concentrating. Unless she was trying to focus on how he looked, or the way he bit his lip a lot, how he would often catch her eye and smile...  
  
She shook her head and found Zack looking at her again. It was kinda strange. Lately, he seemed to be watching her a lot. But it was Zack, he watched them all, kept track of what they were doing. If he somehow found out everything she'd been thinking about Ben, taking her own life might be the only solution.  
  
Lydecker came into the room and she snapped to attention, though her mind wandered back to Ben. They rarely spoke, but it was like he was always there and she was continuously aware of him.  
  
"-and 452, come with me."  
  
Max blinked, immediately following Lydecker into the next room, where he handed her a folder and turned to give a second one to whoever followed her. Glancing to her side, she recognized Ben immediately and forcibly stilled the spark that leapt through her body.  
  
"We're sending you both on a deep cover mission."  
  
"Sir?" Ben asked.  
  
"You've been cleared from Psy-Ops and we're sending 452 along, so there shouldn't be any problems."  
  
"What's our assignment?"  
  
"There's a well to do family in Seattle, Cale. Our sources report they have hoverdrone information we're interested in. We want the technology and we'd like to see their power come to an end."  
  
"Steal the technology and discredit the family?" Max confirmed.  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
"What's our cover?"  
  
"452 is going in as a woman with previous acquaintance to their nephew, Logan."  
  
"Who's Logan?"  
  
"Everything we have on him is in your briefing. He was killed a few months ago."  
  
Max shrugged and Lydecker turned to Ben.  
  
"You're going in as a computer expert, you'll both go to a party as the guest of a different member of the family. With her snooping around," Lydecker indicated Max, "They will be more willing to deal with you than they would otherwise."  
  
"So we don't know each other?"  
  
"Correct, you'll be introduced at a party."  
  
"How do we react?"  
  
"Friendly. Max, you have no idea who he is. Ben will later be informed of who you are. The story is in your briefing. Any more questions?"  
  
Max and Ben exchanged glances and shook their heads.  
  
"Good."  
  
***  
  
Max left the room and Lydecker motioned for Ben to stay behind.  
  
"You know that previous restrictions have been lifted, correct?" Lydecker asked.  
  
Ben's mouth quirked, "Yes, sir."  
  
"Are you up to date on the rules?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Dismissed, then."  
  
"Yes, sir," Ben left the room.  
  
***  
  
They'd both been undercover a week before the party. Max casually mentioned that she had been a friend of Logan Cale's and Ben was introduced to a less law abiding member of the Cale family. Both were invited.  
  
Jonas Cale was the head of the family and Max disliked him immediately.  
  
"Understand you knew my nephew."  
  
"Yes, I respected him a great deal, we worked together."  
  
"Ahh, that free-thinking liberal save the people nonsense he was always spouting?"  
  
"I don't know that the people would agree with your definition."  
  
"Maybe not, but that kind of belief got my nephew killed, be careful that the same thing doesn't happen to you."  
  
"He died for what he believed in. There were actually some things about the family he mentioned to me that I thought perhaps we could discuss, for the sake of continuing his work?"  
  
"Well, family business stays in the family."  
  
"Oh, it isn't of a personal nature, but we talked about a few things concerning the hoverdrones that I would like to speak to you about. I'm actually not even sure you know about it yourself," she finished in a whisper, looking around.  
  
"Well, I can see we'll have to set up a meeting, but for now, this is a party, there is plenty of time for business later, Miss...?"  
  
"Guevara," Max supplied the name she had come up with on the spur of the moment when one of the tech guys asked if she cared what last name she was getting.  
  
"Miss Guevara, this is Daphne, a good friend of the family. Daphne, this is Miss Guevara, she worked with Logan."  
  
"Pleasure to meet you. You are a journalist too, then?"  
  
"Researcher, actually."  
  
"Fascinating, do you enjoy it?"  
  
"It is both troubling and rewarding," Max smiled, but sighed, barely fighting the urge to roll her eyes. You'd think Logan would be a little more interesting, considering the way they talked about him. Never had to pay for anything, just wrote a few articles a year about how bad the poor had it. Honestly, considering how little he'd done, it was amazing people had been willing to kill him for it.  
  
"Who's that?" Daphne interupted her thoughts and Max turned, catching Ben's eye across the room and drawing her breath sharply. Hearing a chuckle, Max shook herself from the spell and turned to her companion.  
  
"Not bad," she grinned, trying to cover for her reaction to him.  
  
"If you like that type," the blonde winked.  
  
"Oh, I don't," Max smiled.  
  
"Sure."  
  
***  
  
Not having seen her for a week, Ben had forgotten how remarkably beautiful Max was and now cursed his faulty memory.  
  
"Yeah, that bitch is hot," a young man muttered at his side. "Heard she was with Logan, though. So was the other chick. Never understood why all the hot dames went for him. Boring as hell."  
  
Ben shrugged, turning away from Max. "She's not bad."  
  
"Right. Not bad," the kid laughed, "Go for it, man, business can wait."  
  
Looking at his new 'friend' carefully, Ben nodded and strolled over to Max.  
  
"Hey, I'm Ben," he held out his hand.  
  
Max smiled, "Max Guevara."  
  
"Pleasure to meet you," he smiled, turning to the other woman, "And you are?"  
  
"Daphne."  
  
"Ben," he smiled.  
  
"Well, I see an old friend of mine," Daphne smiled, "I better go say hi. Nice to meet you two."  
  
"So, Max...what are you doing here this fine evening?" Ben asked.  
  
"Came to dicuss a little business, and yourself?"  
  
"I'm more interested in pleasure, but that's not really something you discuss," Ben smiled.  
  
***  
  
Max's eyebrows shot to her hairline. Not only was the smoothness unlike Ben, but her reaction to the unexpected come on was rather disconcerting.  
  
"Who are you and what have you done with my br-Ben?" Max swallowed, unable to call him her brother.  
  
His eyes glinted, "Heard someone else say that. You like it?"  
  
Max rolled her eyes, "It's different."  
  
"Maybe different is good, wanna dance?"  
  
"We aren't supposed to know each other."  
  
"And we don't, but it would be pretty ridiculous to claim no attraction," Ben smiled, "Don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah," she muttered, taking his arm as he led her to the dance floor.  
  
Neither of them had ever danced before, but a few seconds of watching the others and they stepped into it easily. The waltz, pretty old school.  
  
Max hadn't felt Ben's arms around her since they were younger and it was different. Exciting. The heat of his hand on her back made sparks shoot through her. The beautiful gown she'd stolen for the occasion suddenly felt restricting and she turned wide eyes to Ben as he pulled her closer.  
  
"How was your week?" his deep voice flowed over her and she had trouble recalling his actual words.  
  
"Oh, fine, no one doubted my story. You?"  
  
"Well, I'm supposed to be mysterious and skilled. So it isn't too hard," he smiled.  
  
"At least no one really wants to talk about Logan much, he didn't seem to be a favorite in the family."  
  
"Wasn't he some crusader?"  
  
Max shrugged, "Apparently."  
  
"I've heard he was boring as hell, maybe that's why they avoid talking about him."  
  
"Hey, maybe the family killed him off," Max smiled.  
  
"Never know," Ben murmured, "Where are you staying?"  
  
"Some hotel room."  
  
"You have anything to do tonight?"  
  
"Nope, once the meeting is set, I just snoop around."  
  
"Well, they're supposed to be pursuing me, so why make it easy for them?"  
  
"You have some kind of plan?"  
  
"Not an official one."  
  
"Something on the DL?" Max asked, grinning at her use of CVU 101.  
  
Ben grinned in recognition, "We can't get caught, soldier."  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Lose your tail at meet me at Crash," he gave her directions to a Bar.  
  
Her immediate reaction was to say no, it was against the rules. But the look in his eyes made her curious. More than that, it made her feel dangerous, the risk of meeting him when they were on a mission increasing her desire to go.  
  
Lips curving into a sly smile, she pressed closer to him and nodded. Ben's eyes closed briefly, then flickered over her face.  
  
"Then I'll see you there," he whispered as the music ended and he disappeared into the crowd.  
  
***  
  
Ben held a beer in his hand as the woman he refused to acknowledge as his sister walked through the door.  
  
He heard a hiss of breath next to him and turned to see a black woman eyeing Max.  
  
"Damn, that's one FINE shorty," the girl said, turning to her lanky companion, who nodded in agreement.  
  
"Probably taken," he sighed in long suffering, sipping his beer.  
  
Max approached Ben, smiling, "Get me a drink?"  
  
"What a waste," he heard the woman next to him mutter as her friend snorted 'Typical' into his beer.  
  
"Sure," Ben smiled, motioning to the bartender. "What do you want?"  
  
"Beer's fine with me," she smiled, sliding onto the stool next to him.  
  
"So how have you been, Max?"  
  
She seemed to sense that he was serious about the question, wasn't asking for a one word answer, so she watched him for a moment.  
  
"I don't know, Ben. Sometimes I wonder if we're doing the right thing."  
  
"Is there a right thing?"  
  
"I don't know that either."  
  
"Everyone out here thinks so, but we're different."  
  
"Yeah, we are."  
  
"You ever wonder what it would be like to just do whatever you want all the time? Have someone to love, maybe?" she watched him, "Be ALLOWED to love?"  
  
"We love each other," Ben told her, swallowing.  
  
"But maybe there's more to it," she whispered, and he knew she meant beyond the familial love they all had for each other.  
  
"Could be," he ran his thumb over her hand, where it lay on the bar. "Wanna walk?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," she whispered.  
  
***  
  
Her heart was hammering as they left the bar. Ben took her hand as they walked, squeezing it.  
  
They went back to the hotel Ben was staying in. Max told herself that they were just going to relax and talk. What else was there? Sneaking up the fire escape in back, they laughed as they opened the window, easily avoiding anyone who might be watching the room.  
  
"So," Max smiled, nervous, "You wanna watch TV?" She grabbed the remote and flicked it on.  
  
"No!" he leapt for her as images of less than fully clothed women appeared on screen acting...more friendly than Max ever was with her sisters, anyway.  
  
"Whoa," Max's eyebrows shot to her hairline as Ben grabbed the remote from her and shut off the TV.  
  
"All they have is crap," he shrugged, his cheeks turning pinker than they had been originally.  
  
"Why Ben," Max grinned, flopping onto the bed and grinning at him, "Were you watching porn earlier?"  
  
"What?" Ben laughed it off, jumping onto the bed next to her, "Obviously not, I don't need that."  
  
"Well, no one NEEDS porn," she laughed, loving the embarassed look on his face as he hastened to assure her that all the channels were like that.  
  
"I don't have those channels, do they give them to all the guys?"  
  
Ben shrugged, "Wouldn't know."  
  
"They don't give US any, that's for sure," she smiled.  
  
"Why, you want it?" Ben asked hopefully.  
  
"The girl on girl shit? Hell no!" she laughed.  
  
"No one's perfect," Ben sighed sadly.  
  
Max rolled her eyes and pushed him. He grabbed her hand, pulling her on top of him.  
  
"You do seem pretty close, though," he whispered as she looked down into the sincerity of his eyes.  
  
"Not bad yourself," she smiled, running her hands along the musles of his arms.  
  
"Do you ever think we were made to be different than they tell us to act?" he asked, raising his hands to her waist as she lay over him and massaging her lower back.  
  
"How do you mean?" she asked breathlessly, swallowing as she shifted over him.  
  
Ben's eyes fired at her movement, burning into hers.  
  
"When your instincts," he took her hand, "are against," he raised it to his mouth, "the rules," he pressed his lips to her wrist.  
  
Her pulse went through the roof and she knew he could feel it.  
  
His mouth curved into a smile and he nipped her pinky.  
  
"I...know what you mean," she tried to think of why they weren't supposed to do this.  
  
Any reasons she might have had flew out the window as Ben nibbled lightly on her thumb.  
  
"Have you ever...?" Max trailed off and Ben looked at her.  
  
"Have you?" he asked.  
  
"I asked you first," she rolled off of him and he chuckled, leaning over her and brushing her curls from her face.  
  
"Have I ever...been with anyone?" he asked.  
  
Max nodded and Ben shook his head. "Wasn't allowed," he whispered. "You?"  
  
He didn't look at her as he asked, almost like he was afraid to know the answer.  
  
"Once," she told him seriously, watching him swallow, "Zane and I were supposed to be scouting and he kissed me. Then I kneed him in the balls...does that count?" she asked.  
  
Ben's eyes flew to hers and he laughed, "How old were you?"  
  
"Thirteen, I think."  
  
"Is that how you would react now?" he asked.  
  
"I'm pretty sure Zane will never try it again," she smiled.  
  
Ben ran his hand down the side of her face, his lips inches away from hers. "What if I did?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I don't know," she smiled, "I guess you'll have to live dangerously."  
  
"No other way," he murmured, leaning into her.  
  
Her eyes slid shut as their lips met and fire exploded between them. Ben pulled back from her in shock, staring for a second before he smiled and bent to kiss her again.  
  
Lifting her with him, he rose to his knees, settling on his heels and bringing her to straddle him as he wrapped his arms around her, pressing her body into his as she opened her lips to him and he plundered her mouth. Meeting his ardor, she wrapped her arms around his neck, twisting her fingers through his hair and holding him close to her. The sensation of his tongue against hers was strange, but exciting and Max followed her instinct, twining her tongue with his as she pressed against him.  
  
Closing her mouth around his tongue, Max sucked gently, swallowing his moans as he held her hips, pushing her down on him. She could feel him against her and gasped, pulling away to stare at him. His lips were red and his eyes dark as he waited for her.  
  
"You can leave if you want," he told her.  
  
She shook her head and he smiled, kissing her neck and running his tongue to the indent of her shoulder.  
  
"What do you want, Max?" he asked, his hands slipping around her.  
  
"I...don't know," she shook her head helplessly, "but I trust you."  
  
***  
  
Ben swallowed. She trusted him. They were breaking the rules and he had no idea what he was doing, but she trusted him. All he had been able to think about since he got back was what it would be like to do this to her, with her...to hear her moan and feel what it would be like to be with her.  
  
She trusted him.  
  
He forcefully calmed his raging heartbeat, looking away from her delectable beauty as he thought about what to do.  
  
The rules told him to tell her to leave and never touch her again. His instinct told him to throw her down on the bed.  
  
Ben didn't do either. "We'll wait 'til you know," he smiled, pulling down the covers and slipping between them. He held out his hand to her and she took it, slipping into bed with him and laying her head against his chest.  
  
Her body distracted him at first, but the comfort and warmth of her so close to him, trusting him enough to let down her guard, allowed him to relax and drift off into slumber. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two, Not My Brother PG-13  
  
He awoke to the pleasant sensation of Max's breasts pressed against him, tampered only by the annoying buzz of the telephone.  
  
Max's brown eyes met his and she stretched to pick up the phone, flaunting her naked body before his very appreciative eyes.  
  
"He-um, Hello?" Ben coughed into the phone.  
  
Grinning, Max ducked underneath the cord to wrap herself around him again.  
  
Belatedly, it occured to him that someone was speaking to him.  
  
"Could you repeat that? Sorry, I just woke up."  
  
Max smiled mischieviously, meeting his eye as her tongue flicked out against his chest.  
  
He swallowed hard, trying to focus.  
  
"-if you could come over, we need your help."  
  
"Yeah, no problem."  
  
"See you in an hour?"  
  
Ben bit back a groan, that was WAY too soon to part from her, "I'll be there."  
  
He rolled them over to hang up the phone and groaned at the contact.  
  
"Where you headed?" she smiled, pulling him down for a kiss.  
  
"Staying here," he muttered into her mouth, his hands exploring her soft skin.  
  
He pressed his lips to her neck and she arched into him. "No," she murmured, "You have to go."  
  
Ben shook his head in disagreement.  
  
Max whimpered, her fingers running through his hair as she pulled his head against her. "Ben, please..." she whispered.  
  
He nipped her and she moaned.  
  
Ben smiled and nuzzled her.  
  
Max made a strangled noise, deep in her throat and Ben's eyes closed at the sound.  
  
He wanted to stop the torture and be with her, to feel what it was like to make love to her as he'd wanted to do since he saw her again.  
  
But they didn't have time for everything he wanted to do.  
  
With great willpower, he managed to pull himself off her, falling back against the mattress as she sighed.  
  
"I never knew this would be so..." her voice trailed off and she met his eyes.  
  
Ben smiled and his eyes traveled over her, "...amazing? ...beautiful? ...so fucking sexy," he shook his head and sprang off the covers. "Mission," he muttered to himself.  
  
"Intense," she whispered, slipping out of bed to don her clothing.  
  
***  
  
He was a couple minutes late, but no one seemed to mind.  
  
"We're at the last stage of development for our prototype," Jonas told him as he poured drinks. "We need to accelerate the process, that's where you come in. We need a facial recognition scanner in place by tomorrow. Can you do it?"  
  
"What's it worth to you?" Ben asked upfront. People like this understood money. Greed would be expected.  
  
"One million dollars. You get half when you leave tonight. The other half field test."  
  
"Cash?"  
  
"Wire transfer."  
  
"So this is this photograph recognition?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
Ben nodded, "I'll need access to your computer system."  
  
"Right this way," Jonas led him out of the house, where Max was prepared to knock on the door. "Ms. Guevara?"  
  
"I thought this would be a good time to discuss a few things?" she sniffed.  
  
"I actually have a previous engagement with my young friend here. Perhaps you two met at the party?"  
  
"Ben, was it not?" Max asked, arching an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Indeed it was, Ms. Guevara," Ben smiled, his gaze caressing her figure as he remembered her taste, the way his fingers ran over her soft skin.  
  
Thankfully, Jonas seemed unaware of Ben's preoccupation and they continued to his car, leaving Max on the doorstep.  
  
They stepped into the limo and Jonas was on the phone immediately. "Steve, make sure we lose this tail."  
  
"She's tailing us?" Ben asked.  
  
"She might."  
  
"What's her problem?"  
  
"Nothing that concerns you, don't worry about it. Family problem."  
  
Ben shrugged. Max had done her job, pressured them from the outside and it had worked. He wished Manticore had told her to cut bait when that happened, but they were both supposed to stick it out until the end.  
  
For some, inexplicable reason, this made him nervous.  
  
***  
  
Max watched him go with a private smirk. Everything was working out perfectly, they'd be home by tomorrow.  
  
Frowning at the thought, she walked her car. Or, more appropriately, Manticore's car. The idea of going back scared her.  
  
Would they find out what had happened last night with her and Ben? Would they send him away again?  
  
She knew she was being paranoid, the worst thing that could happen was that she and Ben wouldn't be able to continue their...whatever it was... behind Manticore's gates.  
  
The idea depressed her. What if it was months til their next away mission? Could she wait that long? Could he? What if he went with someone else? Max slammed her door shut as she got in.  
  
Eva's beautiful face danced in her head for a moment and Max shook it off.  
  
Ben cared for her, he had to. She knew he did.  
  
Max shook her head of her own psychosis. They fool around one night and she never wanted him to touch another woman. They just cared about each other...and were experimenting, having fun breaking the rules together and stuff.  
  
It didn't have to MEAN anything.  
  
Finally getting her head in the game, Max glanced in the rearview mirror. She was being tailed, as expected. Parking, she grabbed her bag and walked into the nearest building.  
  
She ignored the woman at the desk and walked up the stairs, opened a window, hopped on the fire escape and jumped. Landing with a grin, she slid onto the motorcycle that awaited her and pulled a laptop out of her bag.  
  
"Where are you, Ben?" she murmured, putting in her earpiece as a flashing light indicated Ben's location.  
  
Max smiled and slipped the laptop back in the bag and revved the engine.  
  
She could really get used to this.  
  
***  
  
In reality, what they wanted him to do wasn't a big deal. Wouldn't take him very long...particularly with Max hacking through the back door.  
  
He glanced at the clock and coughed, alerting a guard. They hadn't been willing to let him do everything without the watchful gaze of someone else.  
  
"I just need to go to the bathroom," he told him, "I'll be back."  
  
In the bathroom, he slipped in his earpiece.  
  
"Test," he muttered.  
  
"I've gotta get a motorcycle," his ear answered back.  
  
"Hey Maxie," he grinned, flushing the toilet. "Ready?"  
  
"Let's do it."  
  
What he wanted to do had nothing to do with the situation at hand, of course, but he walked back to the computer anyway.  
  
It wouldn't take long before he and Max could get out of there. Everything would be finalized soon, leaving Ben and Max free...for awhile, anyway.  
  
He shook his head to focus, he had enough to do without the idea of freetime with Max jumbling his thoughts and screwing up his typing.  
  
Ben frowned, hit backspace and continued.  
  
It remained very clear that they had limited time outside Manticore and all this time they were wasting on what amounted to a remarkably simple mission was a little annoying.  
  
Why couldn't they just kill them and be done with it?  
  
Life was so much easier when they were younger.  
  
Ben sighed. The nostalgia.  
  
***  
  
"Couple more minutes," Max reassured Ben through her comlink.  
  
She was on the other side of the warehouse he was in, tapped into the phone line.  
  
He was fixing their problems, she was downloading their information.  
  
The laptop dinged it's completion and she smiled, slipping in a disk, transferring information and slipping it out again.  
  
The CD she put in next copied the entire contents and Max smiled.  
  
"Done here," she told Ben, slipping the CD into a manilla envelope with a note.  
  
***  
  
He hit enter and smiled.  
  
"Done...when do I get the money?" Ben turned to his guard.  
  
The guard grabbed his phone. "The kid's done."  
  
He nodded and hung up, pulling a gun on Ben. "Thanks for your hard work."  
  
Ben raised his eyebrows, "You might want to check with your boss again before you kill the only person with the password." ***  
  
Max swore softly, reopening her laptop.  
  
***  
  
"There's no password..." the guard told him uncertainly.  
  
"You want to try it out while I call your boss?" Ben asked, getting up and snatching the phone.  
  
The man leaned over the computer as a password box popped up.  
  
Ben grinned and hit redial.  
  
"This can't be right," the man murmured, putting down his gun to hack the password.  
  
It was almost insulting.  
  
"Hello?" Jonas answered on the other end.  
  
"Jonas, I understand you wanted to shoot me...but I have control of this new little toy of yours, so I suggest you send the money. All of it. I'll get back to you when the transfer's confirmed."  
  
He hung up.  
  
"I got it!" the guard yelled excitedly, turning to face Ben and a semi- automatic weapon.  
  
"Congrats," Ben smiled and punched him out. "What was the password?"  
  
"Fuck you, all caps," Max told him.  
  
Ben laughed, "What a dirty mouth."  
  
"What are you gonna do about it?"  
  
"I have a few ideas."  
  
"Hope they don't keep you, I'm getting out of here. Transfer confirmed."  
  
"OK, I'm leaving too."  
  
"Good luck."  
  
"Out."  
  
Ben pushed the unconscious guard out of the way, sitting down next to a file marked important.  
  
He opened the file with one hand and changed the password with the other.  
  
It was a picture of Max.  
  
Ben's eyes narrowed and he typed in the password. He just needed to do one more thing...  
  
***  
  
"You deliver it?" Ben asked, sitting down next to Max in the bar they'd been the night before, Crash.  
  
"Yeah, you have any more trouble?"  
  
"A little...I cleared it up."  
  
Max nodded, "So when do we have to be back?"  
  
"It'll probably hit the News in a few hours."  
  
"So we should probably call in and go back..." Max murmured into her beer.  
  
"Or we could wait awhile," he took her hand, massaging her palm with his thumb.  
  
"OK," she smiled.  
  
He leaned down to kiss each of her fingers and as her heart accelerated. Just watching him touch her hand was killing her.  
  
"What do you want, Ben?" she whispered.  
  
Ben smiled, reaching around the table to pull her next to him. "You," he smiled, lifting her onto his lap.  
  
"Me...or..." she swallowed and looked away.  
  
"Just you."  
  
"If you'd been assigned with Eva or Syl...?"  
  
Ben made a face, "They're like my--"  
  
"Sisters?" she asked when he broke off.  
  
He nodded, smiling wryly.  
  
"So I'm different?" she smiled, shifting in his lap.  
  
Ben's eyes widened and he nodded quickly.  
  
"Let's go somewhere else," Max suggested.  
  
He had no argument.  
  
***  
  
Their shirts hit the floor and Max and Ben hit the bed.  
  
Everything was more familiar now, a day of experience lending confidence as they explored each other's bodies more thouroughly.  
  
His intoxicating masculinity was overpowering and Max just wanted to climb inside his body. Ben hovered over her, smiling as she ran a hand over his cheek.  
  
Mesmerized by the light in his eyes, she caressed him. The hard muscles of his back harnessed power that drew her as she kneaded them with her fingertips.  
  
Ben purred softly, dropping his head to nuzzle her neck and trailing kisses along her collarbone.  
  
***  
  
Just the few hours without her had been torture.  
  
Her skin was sweet to his tongue as she melted into him. She sighed at his ministrations and he could feel his excitement grow as she made her enjoyment more and more clear as her breathing picked up.  
  
It was the first time for her and Ben made it perfect, holding himself back until she begged him.  
  
***  
  
Ben couldn't move and never wanted to.  
  
Max's hand ran over his back and she sighed.  
  
He rolled them over, pulling her onto his chest and Max smiled lazily at him, her hand roaming over him.  
  
Practically purring, he thought, with satisfaction and relief. And she said she loved him.  
  
"Do you really?" he asked softly, watching her face anxiously, hoping her words of love hadn't been uttered in the spirit of the moment.  
  
"You know I do," she grinned, snuggling against him and purring as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.  
  
"I'm not giving you up," he told her seriously, running a hand through her hair and over her body.  
  
"I'm glad we agree," she smiled.  
  
His heart surging with excitement, he pulled her toward him for a kiss.  
  
"So," she winked at him, pulling back, "You think we could do that again before the news comes on?"  
  
Ben nodded enthusiastically. 


	3. Chapter Three

Not My Brother, Chapter 3  
  
A/N: As though it wasn't beyond obvious at this point, yes, I am continuing this story.  
  
If asked later, they would say they didn't know, but in reality, they hadn't even considered another option.  
  
When the news came in, they were on the phone to Lydecker.  
  
Within the hour, they were on their way back to Manticore.  
  
The mission was done and they were going home.  
  
Max and Ben didn't say much on the way back, sitting across from each other in the back of a helicopter.  
  
Ben's eyes were hot on her and Max grinned to herself, her own eyes exploring him as his did her. She could still feel his hands against her and couldn't help wondering what Lydecker would say if two of his soldiers jumped each other in the middle of a helicopter flight.  
  
Unfortunately, the best case scenario would be assuming she was in heat and locking her away for a few days. Max made a face.  
  
***  
  
Ben lifted an eyebrow at the range of emotions flying across Max's face without warning. She caught his eye and smiled, shrugging.  
  
He'd never really seen her do that before. Any of them, actually. Max was happy.  
  
Beaming stupidly back at her, Ben had to fight the urge to laugh.  
  
No wonder psy-ops was worried about him getting laid. He'd never felt so giddy in his life. But it wouldn't be the same with anyone else, Ben was sure of it. They'd been close as children, hadn't seen each other in years and now, as adults, they were together. Even in the time he'd been back, she'd infiltrated his mind.  
  
There had to be a way to be with her at Manticore. Waiting for their next away mission would be torturous. Just seeing her every day without being able to touch her was liable to kill him.  
  
Dread pooled in his stomach as he watched her, the danger of what they'd started suddenly hitting him. If they didn't act natural, who knows what would happen?  
  
Pushing aside his paranoia, Ben let himself relax into the memories of their time together. They'd have more, he'd make sure of it. But now wasn't the time to worry about that, he thought, winking at Max.  
  
She blushed and bit her lip, her eyes running over him.  
  
Fire lept from her eyes, scalding him with temptation. It had already been too long since they'd been together, 46 minutes, 18 seconds. Even now, his body reacted to the memories with her only feet away from him. Knowing she wanted it too made it worse than before.  
  
"ETA ten minutes," the pilot yelled back to them.  
  
Ben shook himself. Mission. Duty. Discipline. They'd have debrief, supper and then go back to their bunks.  
  
Alone.  
  
It was amazing how hellish that sounded after just one night of her in his arms.  
  
***  
  
The debrief was pretty straightforward, despite Max's nervousness. They avoided eye contact almost by mutual agreement and she was relieved.  
  
"You sent the information to the press?" Lydecker asked.  
  
"Yes, sir," Max told him.  
  
"And the money was wired to the mayor's account."  
  
"That's correct, sir," Ben told him.  
  
"So it will look like they can solve the government corruption with a new election," Lydecker nodded.  
  
"Did you run into problems?"  
  
"Just one, sir, I took care of it."  
  
Max looked over at Ben. What had he taken care of?  
  
"Explain, 493."  
  
"There were orders to upload 452's picture, indicating a certain file. I went into the computer and changed the file, using Jonas Cale's picture instead."  
  
"Your first job is to protect your unit. Good job, 493."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
"Everything seems in order, I'll expect your reports in the morning."  
  
"Yes, sir!" they both answered.  
  
"Dismissed."  
  
***  
  
"Get laid?" Zane asked with a grin, sitting next to Ben and Krit in the mess hall.  
  
"WHAT?" Ben asked, shocked at the question.  
  
"CVU, Ben, did you have sexual--"  
  
"I know what it means!" Ben cut him off and Zane grinned.  
  
Krit sat down across from them, "Hey, Ben, how was the mission?"  
  
Ben shrugged, "Fine."  
  
"So tell us about her," Zane smiled.  
  
"Who?" Krit asked.  
  
"Ben got laid, but won't give details."  
  
"Why not?" Krit wanted to know.  
  
"Zane's full of it," Ben rolled his eyes.  
  
"You just got cleared, you were away for two weeks...if you didn't, there's something wrong with you."  
  
"Just not smooth enough," Ben grinned.  
  
"How smooth do you have to be to pick up a hooker?" Krit asked.  
  
"You picked up a hooker?" Ben asked, trying to deflect the conversation.  
  
Krit snorted, "Smooth as silk, here, baby, why waste the money?"  
  
"Promise them the best ten minutes of their life?" Jhondy asked, joining the conversation.  
  
Zane laughed and Krit rolled his eyes.  
  
"Like you even know what you're talking about," Krit challenged her.  
  
"Oh, I know plenty about premature-"  
  
"Hey guys," Max slid her tray next to Krit.  
  
"Maxie," Zane grinned, "Just in time."  
  
"Really," she smiled, "For what?"  
  
"Jhondy was just bullshitting about getting laid and Ben, here, was about to tell us about the girl he bagged on your mission."  
  
"Was he?" Max arched her eyebrow, her eyes meeting Ben's.  
  
"Nothing to tell. Sorry, Maxie," he shrugged.  
  
"You were finally cleared, but you just stayed in your room to watch porn?" Zane obviously didn't buy it.  
  
Max's eyes flickered from Zane to Ben and the flash of devilment in her eye made Ben nervous. "You DID seem inordinately happy for some odd reason," she grinned.  
  
Zane grinned in triumph, "And as we are well aware, that can only mean you had sex, so tell us."  
  
"And hurry, I leave soon," Krit told him.  
  
"Where are you going?" Max asked.  
  
"Hit," Krit shrugged, "Should be back in a couple days."  
  
"I'm sure Ben can survive without your snoring," Jhondy smiled.  
  
***  
  
The wheels in her mind were already spinning.  
  
Krit and Ben were roommates. With him gone...  
  
Max smiled, her eyes moving to Ben's.  
  
He licked his lips, his gaze running over her and quickly back to his food.  
  
"So hurry up with the story, Ben," Krit said impatiently.  
  
Males were so obsessed with sex, Max thought in annoyance. Not that she could get her mind off it either, but still, that was about Ben, not just anyone. What if Ben was like Krit and Zane?  
  
Max frowned, but shook her head. Ben loved her, it didn't matter that Krit and Zane were perverts.  
  
"Nothing to tell," Ben insisted.  
  
"What's your deal? It's not like she'll know you told us," Zane rolled his eyes, "And it's not like you'll ever see her again, anyway. Wait...it was a GIRL, right?"  
  
"Of course!" Ben snapped, his eyes widening in horror as Zane chortled gleefully.  
  
Max surpressed her smile at Ben's reaction. Not telling would be strange. Ben was a born storyteller. Would Zane pick up on what happened?  
  
Suddenly panicked, Max blurted, "Was she hot?"  
  
Ben exhaled slowly, his eyes meeting hers for a second before looking around at his rapt audience. "Gorgeous."  
  
Max grinned and Krit motioned for more detail.  
  
"Welcome back, Maxie," Zack entered the conversation, sitting next to her.  
  
"Thanks," she smiled, hugging him.  
  
***  
  
Ben had seen Max and Zack hug before. Max was huggy. So it shouldn't bother him, but it did. Because no matter how much Max hugged people, Zack didn't. It was as though he were making a specific claim on Max.  
  
Knowledge of Max's love was nice, but it didn't stop the rage that fired through his blood.  
  
He tried to tell himself she thought of Zack as a brother but the idea was less than comforting.  
  
"Ben, focus," Krit got his attention, "Gorgeous girl, the sex? Details?"  
  
Ben clung to the distraction as Max, thankfully, let go of Zack.  
  
"Picked her up at a bar, took her for a little walk in the starlight."  
  
"Just to get her back to the hotel, right?" Zane asked.  
  
Max rolled her eyes.  
  
"So how was it?" Jhondy asked.  
  
Ben smiled, but didn't answer.  
  
"Come on," Krit whined, "At least tell us what she looked like."  
  
"Blonde hair, brown eyes and the best rack ever," Ben smiled.  
  
"Better than Maxie's?" Zane wanted to know.  
  
"Zane!" Max gasped as Ben elbowed him, hard.  
  
"Ow, what?" Zane smiled, winking at Max, "I just wondering."  
  
"Don't compare some tramp to Max," Zack glared at him.  
  
Ben swallowed hard at the smile Max bestowed upon her knight in fucking armor.  
  
"She wasn't a tramp," Ben defended, unable to stop himself from challenging Zack on some level. "She's a lovely young woman and I'm sure Max would like her."  
  
"I'm sure I would, Ben," she turned her smile to him and he relaxed.  
  
"You didn't meet her?" Krit asked, turning to Max, "But you were out there too."  
  
"Like he is going to bring along family," Jhondy rolled her eyes.  
  
Krit considered that and nodded. "I'll see you guys later," he got up from the table.  
  
***  
  
"How was the mission?" Eva asked when Max walked into their room.  
  
"Not too bad, everything went well," Max smiled. "Ben got laid," she threw in as an afterthought, it would be weird if she didn't say anything.  
  
Eva grinned, "About time, poor boy."  
  
"Apparently she had the 'best rack ever,'" Max grinned.  
  
"Poor deluded child," Eva shook her head and yawned. "Sorry I can't stay up later, we trained hard today."  
  
"Oh, no problem," Max assured her with a smile.  
  
***  
  
Ben tossed in his bed for the fifty zillionth time.  
  
He couldn't believe he hadn't considered what it would be like back here. It hadn't even been a full day back and he already wanted to pound his CO within an inch of his life.  
  
There was a click at his door and he froze.  
  
"Ben?" Max's voice floated to him and he sprang from bed.  
  
"How'd you get in here?" he asked, pulling her against him in a kiss, starving in his need for her.  
  
"Have my ways," she murmured against his lips.  
  
He forced himself to calm down, nuzzling her face and pulling away. "This is going to be hard," he told her.  
  
"I know," she nodded, melting into his chest.  
  
Part of him wanted to pick her up in his arms and move to the bed. Krit would only be gone for a day and they were missing valuable time.  
  
"Just hold me, Ben," she whispered, and all thought of time vanished.  
  
He did pick her up and carry her to the bed, but when he settled in next to her, he pulled her on top of him, pulling up the covers as they snuggled into each other. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter 4, Not My Brother A/N: Miss me? This is the PG-13 version of this story. The NC-17 can be found at Gumboot Mafia: or NWP: Max couldn't seem to get any closer to Ben, not while he was sleeping, anyway. She sighed, running her hands along the smooth skin of his chest. She needed to leave soon, before anyone woke up. Ben's arms tightened around her and she nuzzled her face against him. His body reacted to her movements and Max raised her eyes brows, lifting her eyes to find him awake. Power and excitement surged through her and she kissed him. They had plenty of time before anyone woke up. Ben's reaction was immediate and he pulled her into him hungrily. Max her mouth and his tongue plundered her, exploring the recesses of her mouth as she moaned against him, answering with her own passion. His hands moved over her body as they lay skin to skin. The need for closeness, as from the night before, was overpowering, but with it the panic of uncertainty. She'd have to leave soon and they'd be seperated. Who knew how long it would be until the next time? Ben muttered her name and Max smiled. It wouldn't matter. They'd have another chance. Whatever this was, it would work. Wouldn't it? He frowned and his arms tightened around her. She could feel his body reacting to her presence and whatever it was in his dream. They could stay here another few minutes, surely. Just a few more minutes. *** Ben stood at attention, focusing forward and clenching his lips tightly. Think of psy-ops, something horrible, he told himself. Anything but that morning with Max. His lips started to curve into a smile but pushed them back into the hard line Lydecker expected to see. The thought of them asking what was wrong with him, why he was...happy, of all things, scared the hell out of him. They had training today, like every day and he was a jumpy mess. Just the sound of her voice, stating her designation had sent his brain spiraling. Her voice drew his thoughts to her mouth, her mouth...to the experimentation of that morning. Ben closed his eyes desperately, trying to think of something, anything, to cool his body and mind. To give him a reason not to jump out of line and claim her against the wall. "X5-493!" Lydecker called sharply. Eyes snapping open and body instantly cooling, Ben immediately stood at attention. As, thankfully, other parts of his body did not. *** Max licked her lips as Ben was called from the line. Lydecker always put people on the spot to spar immediately after roll call. It was an elimination round, of sorts. Whoever was left standing. Zack always won. If he was the first to start, the last...it didn't matter.  
  
No one knew what would happen if Zack lost because it had never happened before. Yet for some bizarre reason, Max wanted to see it happen today, but not by herself. She wanted Ben to kick his ass. But they weren't fighting yet. It was coming, though, she could feel it in the way he moved. Syl went down immediately and Zane followed, his shock obvious. Max held back her smirk at the look on his face as Ben pinned Jondy to the ground. He whispered something in her ear and Max frowned, irritated. Keeping her pinned so close to him was clearly unnecessary and she could think of no good reason to be whispering. "What's the secret?" she snapped. Every eye turned to her and she cleared her throat nervously, kicking herself. They didn't TALK during this. Ever. There was no specific rule against it, it just didn't happen. "Wanna come find out, 452?" Ben raised his eyebrows, springing to his feet and allowing Jondy to roll away. Max glared at him and he smiled, his eyes flicking over her quickly, but thoroughly. Heat poured through her body and she swallowed, looking away to find Zack staring at her strangely. *** Ben followed her gaze. Biting back a snarl, he looked away, composing himself. "599," Lydecker instructed, indicating it was Zack's turn. There was nothing Ben wanted more. Every fight they'd had in the past, Ben had lost. But this time, he wanted it. The thought of losing to Zack in front of Max after they'd... He shook himself of the horrifying thought. It wasn't going to happen. He struck hard and fast, taking Zack by surprise. Ben's advantage was in his agility and speed, the way he could avoid the hard punches and slip in where someone least expected. *** Max felt an odd surge of delight as Ben's fist slammed into Zack's face immediately. Zack's face radiated shock and she smirked slightly. She'd known things could change today and she watched his movements as he fought, his body blurring in the passion of his anger. She could feel it as she felt all his emotion. He was charged with it and used it to his advantage, destroying Zack's defenses in moves that left the rest of them gaping. He fought with the same passion he had when he was with her, his entire being focused on his goal. Fire smoldered inside her and her breathing sped rapidly. She could feel the fight ending and desire overwhelmed her. Every eye widened in surprise as Zack fell. Slowly, Max's eyes climbed her lover's body, finally reaching his eyes that promised so much. She wanted to stomp her foot in frustration that he couldn't take her here, on the mat, so everyone would know he was hers. "Max," Lydecker's voice interrupted her thoughts and her eyes sprang to his. His meaning suddenly hit her and she stepped onto the mat, facing Ben with a small smile. She was the last one up. *** The thrill of victory vanished as Max stepped onto the mat. How could he hit her now? Sure, the idea of pinning her to the ground had a certain appeal, but not the way he was supposed to. She smiled and he swallowed hard, remembering her last smile as she left him that morning, aglow from their all too rapid lovemaking. Her fist hit his chest and he gaped at her in shock and she smirked back at him. Ben's eyes narrowed, his eyes lighting as the idea of fighting her took on a new, more dangerous appeal. "Colonel Lydecker!" Renfro's voice interrupted training. Lydecker frowned as she joined them. "Take twenty on the machines," he motioned to them, turning to speak with the director above him. "452 and 493," he stopped them, "Tell me who wins." *** They watched the door in amazement, then back at each other. Were they really just left alone? A slow smile spread over Ben's face and Max leaped into his arms, tackling him to the ground. He laughed and the sound was strange his ears. "I win," she smirked, straddling him. Ben moaned as she rubbed against him, "Best way to lose," he groaned, pulling her hips tighter against him. He needed her, desired the warmth of her body with a passion he didn't even understand. Reaching for her shirt, he was surprised when she stopped him, leaning down to crush his mouth instead. "What's wrong?" he gasped when she pulled back. "We...can't...not with them...coming back," she explained between kisses. Ben growled in disappointment, knowing whatever they did in the next scant minutes could never be enough. Though, honestly, if they left them here a week, it still wouldn't be enough for him. He plundered her mouth desperately, sinking in the taste of her as she rubbed against him, the heat of her body sinking into him. But he needed more. *** Max sighed against him, the pleasure of her climax turning her to goo as she opened lazy eyes at him. Suddenly, she frowned. If they couldn't... Then he couldn't... "Are you okay?" he asked, pulling away immediately. Her mind worked feverishly, trying to figure out how...she knew. She'd heard Zane talk about it often enough, but wasn't precisely sure how to go about it. From her brother's description, it hadn't sound particularly fun, but they didn't have time to... "Max?" Ben asked uncertainly. Her heart thumped wildly in anticipation and nervousness. She licked her lips carefully and moved to undo his pants. "What? Max-" Ben reached for her and she pushed him playfully onto his back. *** Slowly, finally, he rolled his head to look at her, re-zipping his pants. "You...I," he opened his mouth, but shook his head, smiling ruefully. "I liked it too," she told him, laying her head on his shoulder. There were footsteps in the hall and they blurred to their feet, ready for commands. "Who won?" Lydecker asked, his eyes moving back and forth between them. "Ben," Max spoke up quickly as the rest of their siblings began to file into the room. Lydecker nodded and walked to the front of the room, while Ben eyed Max in confusion. "I thought-" "Just an impulse," she shrugged. *** The idea of telling Lydecker that Ben won...when he so very clearly hadn't, Max smiled truimphantly to herself, was a mystery to her. But somehow, those were the words on her lips. Max shrugged, falling into line with her siblings. Lydecker was looking at her strangely, making Max extremely nervous. She reminded herself he didn't know, that despite how she felt, everything she'd done wasn't written across her forehead. Wiping her mouth self- consciously, she looked away, encountering Zack's intense stare. Finally settling her eyes on her shoes, Max waited for orders. "Special Ops assignment from the top," Lydecker announced. "452, you leave tomorrow morning." *** Ben's eyes flew to Max and back at Lydecker. They left the room to discuss the mission and Ben felt himself going crazy. How long would she be gone? What was she doing? Was it dangerous? He didn't even stop to question the fact that somehow, Zack was still giving him orders. It happened every day and he didn't care, too involved in what might be happening to Max. "Ben?" Jondy hissed, "What's wrong?" He looked at her for a second. There wasn't anything wrong with expressing concern for Max, was there? Shrugging, he refocused on stretching. Jondy rolled her eyes and looked away. Eventually, Lydecker came back, but Max never did. No one asked where she was. This had happened before. *** Max stared up at her ceiling when Syl came in the room that night. "You didn't come back!" Syl told her. Shrugging, Max sat up on the bed. "I just needed to think." "That bad? Is it an assassination?" "Long term espionage," Max muttered. "Why you?" Syl asked. She shrugged, "Who knows?" "Who's the target?" "Some government agent. Ames White." "Why an agent?" Syl muttered aloud. "It's not about his job. But I'm supposed to get...really close to him," Max swallowed. Syl's face fell. "Oh." "Yeah," Max muttered, falling back against the sheets. What was she going to tell Ben? It was a mission. Details were confidential. "Hey Syl? Don't tell anyone else about all that, okay?" "No problem, Max," Syl smiled, climbing into her bed. Pushing aside the mission in front of her, Max closed her eyes and pictured Ben. The way she felt safe whenever she was with him, the way he needed her and fought for her. If she told him, could he stop this? An image of him restrained and screaming made her eyes snap open in horror. No. He couldn't. And if she asked him to try, they would hurt him. 


	5. Chapter 5

Not My Brother, Chapter 5  
  
Ben waited in the darkness, hoping she'd show up.  
  
The door opened and he closed his eyes in anticipation.  
  
"So..."  
  
Ben's eyes flew open at the masculine voice as Zane sat on Krit's bunk, "When were you going to tell us you got busy with Maxie?"  
  
"WHAT?" Ben sat up sharply.  
  
"Please, Ben," Zane leaned back on his hands, "I have an enhanced sense of smell. Plus, the 'fuck me' eyes...it was pretty obvious."  
  
Obvious. That was a bad thing, obvious.  
  
"Does," Ben swallowed, "Does Lydecker know?"  
  
Zane looked affronted, "Why would I tell Lydecker? I doubt Zack even knows."  
  
"I thought it was 'obvious,'" Ben mimicked.  
  
"Not everyone is the genius I am, bro."  
  
"Not everyone is the suspicious bastard you are," Ben corrected with a sigh, laying back in his bed.  
  
"So what was it like?"  
  
"Bye, Zane."  
  
"Guess I'll have to go bug Zack, then," Zane shrugged.  
  
"If you tell him, I'll kill you," Ben informed him.  
  
"Come on, Ben," Zane whined. "Is it different with one of us?"  
  
"Even if I had a basis for comparison, please explain why I should tell you."  
  
"I haven't gotten any in like a month, Ben, let me live vicariously."  
  
"Aren't you supposed to think of Max as a sister?" Ben's eyes narrowed.  
  
"So you can get with her, but not one else can even think about it?"  
  
"Sounds right."  
  
"Fuck off, Ben, she's hot."  
  
"She's mine."  
  
"Breathe, Ben...damn, I'm not going to steal her, I just want details," he whined.  
  
Ben rolled his eyes, "OK, Zane...but this stays between us."  
  
Eyes alight with excitement, Zane nodded for him to continue.  
  
"She has the most beautiful, mind boggling pair of eyes I have ever seen," Ben smiled. "Now let me sleep."  
  
"Dammit, Ben..." Zane muttered.  
  
"Leave," Ben settled back into his pillow, wondering who else knew about him and Max.  
  
***  
  
She couldn't sleep that night, but didn't move.  
  
It wouldn't be hard to get to him, not with Krit still out on a mission, but what could she say?  
  
He would ask about the mission. It was natural and there was no reason not to tell him except the obvious.  
  
The idea of fidelity wasn't something she'd considered, it was a human idea that she hadn't thought to have a problem with. She didn't want anyone else. Why would she? Just thinking of Ben's face made her body heat and heart clench.  
  
He was sure to find out, no matter what she did, that her mission would entail sex. What would he think? Max rolled her eyes. She knew what he'd think. They'd have to cart him back to psy-ops if he acted on it. But he'd get over it, right? It was a mission, not an option.  
  
***  
  
No one else came to see him that night.  
  
He'd thought she would. What was the problem? They usually watched you closer, the night before a mission, but that was a joke. She could be here if she wanted to.  
  
Obviously, it wasn't a big enough deal for her.  
  
Ben shook his head, it was an important mission, she just needed sleep. It was understandable that she wouldn't want the added stress of sneaking over to see him. He punched his pillow into better form, trying to get comfortable.  
  
As though that would help him sleep.  
  
There was something wrong. He knew it. Or she'd be there.  
  
***  
  
"452," Renfro acknowledged as Max walked through the door, standing at attention. "At ease, soldier. Take a seat."  
  
Surprised, Max did as instructed.  
  
"This isn't your average mission, 452. Not only are the order unusual, but it was created specifically with you in mind."  
  
There was no proper response, so Max waited.  
  
"We're assigning you, undercover, to a special division of Government Security. Your mission is to meet and get acquainted with this man," Renfro slid a picture across the desk, "Special Agent Ames White."  
  
Max nodded, not really understanding the need to repeat everything from the brief she'd already memorized.  
  
Renfro eyed her carefully, then leaned down to her desk, pressing her call button, "Come in."  
  
A man in a white lab coat came in and looked from Renfro to Max as he tapped the air bubbles from a syringe in his hand.  
  
"Your arm, 452?" Renfro looked at her.  
  
Swallowing, Max held her arm out for the shot, her eyes darting wildly from Renfro to the technician.  
  
The pain was inconsequential, but Max's heart beat hard with the uncertainty of what just went on.  
  
"Standard drugs, 452, don't worry about it," Renfro smiled, "Ready to go?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am," 452 stood up again.  
  
"You leave in an hour, soldier."  
  
***  
  
"Jondy!" Max grabbed her sister in the hall, yanking her into the bathroom.  
  
"Hey, Max," Jondy smirked, "What's your problem?"  
  
"Look, I just need your help...Syl said she mentioned my mission to you."  
  
"Yeah," Jondy's face fell, "I'm sorry, that sucks. Have you told Ben yet?"  
  
Max's eyes flew to Jondy's face, "No...I just told Syl. What does Ben have to do with anything?"  
  
"Come on, Max," Jondy rolled her eyes, "I have a nose."  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?" Max asked in confusion, then shaking her head, "Never mind, just don't let anyone else find out about the mission. I don't want them to feel bad for me or whatever."  
  
Jondy shrugged, "Whatever as long as Ben- Shit, you're not going to tell him, are you?"  
  
"I don't have some weird arrangement to tell Ben everything," Max shrugged uncomfortably, not enjoying the way Jondy kept looking at her.  
  
"Max, I know you guys are having sex, just give. Why aren't you telling him?"  
  
Max closed her eyes a second, not bothering to deny her sister's words, "You saw what he did to Zack."  
  
"Yeah...?" Jondy raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Zack ilooked/i at me," Max told her quietly.  
  
"OH," Jondy bit her lip, "Oh...damn."  
  
"So can you just not let him know?" Max pleaded.  
  
"Yeah...I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Thanks," Max murmured, her shoulders slumping.  
  
"It's gonna be okay, Max," Jondy caught her eye, "It's just a mission."  
  
"Right," Max nodded, "Just a mission. Say bye to...everyone, for me."  
  
"No problem. See you in a couple weeks."  
  
Max smiled slightly, "Yeah. I'll do that. Bye," she muttered quickly, hurrying the other direction.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Ben," Jondy smiled at him quickly.  
  
"Morning, Jondy," he eyed her warily. She was never a happy morning person. Ever.  
  
"So how's our new alpha male?" she winked.  
  
Ben rolled his eyes, "What do you want, Jon?"  
  
Jondy made a face, "Fine then, morning sunshine, what's up with you, Zane?"  
  
"My bro's holding out on me, but other than that, I'm fine."  
  
Ben winced. This conversation could not possibly end well. He turned a cautious eye to his sister, who was smirking back at him.  
  
"Hey, random subject change," Zane grinned, "You know where Max went?"  
  
Jondy's eyes lit up as she looked between her brothers, "Very odd you'd think of her right now," she agreed, "She's on a government mission, tailing some guy," she shrugged of the question, "Back in a couple weeks."  
  
"So it's just routine?" Ben's mouth opened before he could stop it and he could feel Zane's amusement, damn him.  
  
"That's what she said," Jondy smiled.  
  
Something was off. He could feel it, but he didn't know what it was. Shrugging off Jondy's statements, he watched her as she fidgeted nervously.  
  
"Well, I better get to training," she murmured.  
  
Ben's eyes narrowed. "I'll go with you," he smiled.  
  
***  
  
"Otto Gottlieb," the man in front of her held out his hand.  
  
"Special Agent Max Guevara," Max shook his hand firmly.  
  
The door opened behind them and Max turned to see the man she recognized from photographs, Ames White.  
  
"I'm at work now, honey, I'll call you later," he smiled into the cell phone, "Give him a kiss for me. He'll get better soon. I love you. Good bye."  
  
Max's heart pounded as she took in the gold ring on his left hand and the expression on his face as he talked on the phone. He was married, he was happy. He couldn't possibly want to cheat, could he?  
  
"Ames White," he held out his hand, his eyes flickering over her.  
  
Heart sinking, Max let Otto reply for her. It didn't matter that he was happy with another woman. She'd seen men look at her that way before. It was only a matter of time before he said something and unlike every other time, she wasn't allowed to kick him in the balls.  
  
Ben's face danced in front of her mind and she shoved him away ruthlessly. She'd get back to him, eventually. This was just a mission. It wouldn't affect anything.  
  
"I'm looking forward to working with you," she smiled coyly, letting her eyes run over his body, taking in his attractiveness with a detached interest.  
  
He wasn't Ben.  
  
How could she do this? 


	6. Chapter Six

Not My Brother, Chapter 6  
  
"I know you know something, Jondy," Ben smiled when they were alone.  
  
"I know plenty of things, Ben, care to be more specific?"  
  
"You know something about Max and you don't want me to know. What is it?" his mouth hardened as he looked at her and he noticed her swallow carefully.  
  
"Sex making you paranoid, Ben?"  
  
His eyes narrowed, "You talked to her."  
  
"I figured it out, it wasn't too hard."  
  
"But after that, you talked to her," Ben stopped, his eyes boring into her head.  
  
"So? Jeez, Ben, what's the big deal? I didn't tell Lydecker."  
  
"Why didn't she say goodbye?" Ben asked.  
  
"Max isn't really all that touchy feely," Jondy rolled her eyes, but faltered at the look on his face. Instantly, she realized mistake and he knew she was lying.  
  
"Yes, she is," Ben whispered. "So tell me what else you're lying about."  
  
"I'm not-"  
  
Ben's eyes hardened, but he didn't respond, just waited.  
  
"She's scared about her mission..." Jondy finally whispered.  
  
Just the hint of a smile touched his lips as he leaned against the wall and it disappeared.  
  
"Why?" he asked.  
  
***  
  
Life as a secret government agent was actually extremely boring. At least, it was if you spent your life training to be about fifty times better than the average human.  
  
But Max wasn't the only one who didn't appear to enjoy herself. Of all people, Ames White seemed bored most of the time too. He didn't sit around twiddling his thumbs or anything, but his general exasperation with everyone around him made it pretty obvious what was going on.  
  
And he always found the time to talk to her.  
  
Now, most men did that, but this was White. He was different. There was a coldness to his demeanor and a lack of pleading that waited for her to come onto him. He was interested, but didn't really care. Whether he had her or not made no difference to him whatsoever. For some reason, it made her even more uncomfortable than she was before.  
  
He never took off his wedding ring, never made excuses.  
  
If he felt his actions were in any way wrong, she was unaware of it. Beyond his chilling exterior, he wasn't unattractive, but she couldn't help comparing him to Ben. Her beautiful, passionate Ben. The thought of anyone else's hands on her body destroyed her.  
  
She knew the sooner she seduced White, the sooner she could move on with her mission, but she couldn't do it. Ben's face would always appear before her until she wanted to cry. To run to him and beg him to help her.  
  
And he would. In a second.  
  
If he knew.  
  
***  
  
Ben moved through training in a daze, lashing out with deadly force in a fight and returning to a sullen silence when it was over.  
  
He remained the champion.  
  
Why couldn't she tell him? Say goodbye? She couldn't have WANTED to go on that mission, so why? He could have helped her.  
  
Jondy had argued against that idea, but he couldn't accept it. They could have found a way to stop her from...  
  
Zane stepped on the mat with him and he lashed out in fury. She couldn't do it. She wouldn't. Days from now, she'd be back, telling him she'd found another way. It was a matter of days, he told himself. She'd be back.  
  
***  
  
Jondy watched Ben go through the motions, his only outlet through fighting as he let out his rage on the world. No one knew what was up with him but Zane.  
  
Krit returned only days before and didn't understand his roommate's odd behavior. Zane always tried to change the subject and once, Jondy met his eye.  
  
They were the only ones who seemed to know.  
  
Syl was clearly concerned about Ben, but she had no idea of his sexual adventures with everyone's baby sister, Maxie.  
  
The look on Ben's face when she'd told him was the saddest thing Jondy had ever seen. He'd denied her words immediately, his eyes pleading with her to tell him she was wrong, that there was some mistake.  
  
It made her want to kick Max's ass herself, but she knew what was going on.  
  
"She's trying to protect you," she'd tried to tell him.  
  
He hadn't been impressed.  
  
Jondy sighed, walking into Renfro's office.  
  
"What do mean, kill her? How would he know?" Renfro asked the phone, motioning Jondy to wait for her. "Why didn't you tell us until now? What other details are we waiting to find out? And how could another X5 protect her in this situation?" Renfro paused, sighing.  
  
"I'll assign someone immediately," she finished the conversation, hanging up the phone. "We're here to talk about your mission?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Jondy nodded.  
  
"Who's the best fighter in your unit?"  
  
"X5-493, ma'am," Jondy said without hesitation. Renfro nodded, clearly distracted. "Call him up here, you're dismissed," she hit her intercom. "Send me Lydecker."  
  
Jondy headed for the door quickly.  
  
"210," Renfro's voice stopped her half way out, "Stop in the med center on your way back."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," she nodded, closing the door.  
  
***  
  
Otto and White stood in a corner talking. Max could, of course, hear them perfectly.  
  
"It's a stake out, sir, there's no reason for you to be part of it. It's under control."  
  
"No, Otto, you have to be ready to move, if and when I give the order. This man is important. We have to take him alive."  
  
"I understand, sir. Who do you want with you?"  
  
"Agent Guevara, I think? Keep her out of the line of fire."  
  
Otto didn't bat an eyelash, but Max shook her head. Sexist patronizing aside, she knew he was just giving himself an opportunity to get in her pants.  
  
And her mission was to let him.  
  
For the first time, Max wondered why. It wasn't a question Manticore ever answered.  
  
***  
  
Ben reported to Renfro, as ordered. Lydecker was waiting in the room as well.  
  
"I understand you're the best we have right now, 493," Refro started.  
  
Lydecker didn't dispute her statement, but winced slightly as she spoke.  
  
"We need you on a mission, 493, effective immediately."  
  
"Ma'am?"  
  
"It has been brought to our attention that 452 is in danger," she told him.  
  
Ben's eyes shot to hers in alarm before he calmed himself physically. Any clue and they wouldn't give him the assignment. He breathed in and out.  
  
"Your job is to protect her life."  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
"However, under NO circumstances will you prevent anything else from happening. Watch her, make sure she is safe, but do not interfere."  
  
Ben clenched and unclenched his teeth.  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
"452's assignment contains a sexual element," Renfro stated clearly, watching him for reaction.  
  
Controlling his reaction, Ben nodded and lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"Can you handle watching without running to protect anything but the LIFE of someone you call what...your baby sister?" Renfro asked.  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Ben nodded, biting back the need to properly define his relationship with Max. Sister was nowhere near appropriate.  
  
"You take off in half an hour, 493, report to Med first."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," he nodded.  
  
***  
  
Jondy looked through the medication in front of her. She was going overseas and meds were standard procedure.  
  
"What are you doing here?" a lab tech asked.  
  
"Meds for X5-210?" Jondy asked.  
  
"Oh, they're right there, just a second."  
  
"These?" Jondy grabbed the syringe in front of her.  
  
"NO!" the tech jumped toward her, snatching it away.  
  
Jondy's eyebrows shot up. "What are you working on there, some type of poison?"  
  
"It reactivates heat, it wouldn't be pretty," he assured her.  
  
"Heat..." Jondy's voice trailed off. "Why do you have it out?"  
  
The tech didn't answer her, grabbing her proper medication.  
  
***  
  
Ben walked through the door of the med room to see Jondy getting a shot.  
  
"Hey, Jon," he said quietly.  
  
"Ben, what's going on?"  
  
"Mission. I'm Max's bodyguard, apparently."  
  
"She's in danger?"  
  
"That's what they said."  
  
Ben knew she wanted to ask more, but couldn't. Not with the lab tech right there, answering the phone.  
  
"I understand," he was telling the person on the other line. Probably Renfro.  
  
"This is for you, 493," he gave Ben a shot before he was even paying attention.  
  
A wave of dizzyness wrapped around him and he felt Jondy grab onto him.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"Insurance he won't do anything against orders, so his instincts won't fight the mission..." his voice faded to darkness.  
  
***  
  
Max paced the room, waiting for White as they surveiled the apartment of some guy named Sandeman. Who knows what he did, they never said.  
  
She shrugged off her jacket and tossed it aside.  
  
It was really starting to get warm. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Not My Brother, Chapter 7  
  
A/N: Please don't give me any Cape Haven M/A awareness requests. If you actually read the story, you would know it was Max/Ben anyway, so please discontinue the annoying.  
  
He faded into consciousness, Jondy's face blinking in and out as he struggled to maintain balance. There was an odd pain behind his nose and he wrinkled it experimentally. So far, so good.  
  
"What...?" he looked to Jondy for answers, but she shook her head, glancing at the lab tech taking off his gloves.  
  
"Your nose should be sore for few days, but should heal just fine after that."  
  
Ben frown, "What did you DO?"  
  
"Nothing that shouldn't heal. Your sense of smell will be impaired, but after about a week, you'll be back to normal."  
  
Ben looked at Jondy, who shrugged.  
  
"You just cut off my sense of smell? Why?"  
  
"Renfro's orders. Better go, you move out in half an hour."  
  
They walked out of the room slowly as Ben tried to process what had just happened.  
  
"Why wouldn't they want me to be able to smell?"  
  
Jondy shrugged, "They don't want you to be distracted by Maxie's perfume?"  
  
Ben rolled his eyes and Jondy smirked, then stopped walking.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
Biting her lip, Jondy glanced around for cameras. "I think Max is in heat."  
  
Ben's stomach went cold as everything he'd told himself the past few days flew out the window. All the times he had pleaded with her in his head not to do it, assured himself she wasn't capable meant nothing in the face of this new information.  
  
It wouldn't matter. Her body would decide for her.  
  
"Why else would they cut off your sense of smell? They don't want you to be affected."  
  
"If they're worried about him hurting her, why don't they pull the plug?" Ben muttered, trying to think beyond the emotional implications of the problem.  
  
Jondy shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, Ben."  
  
"Right," he shook his head, "How could you? But how is it even possible?"  
  
"I'll find out," Jondy told him.  
  
Ben nodded. "I have to go."  
  
He walked away from her, trying to focus on anything but the mission facing him. Could he really stand by and watch Max with another man just to save him another trip to Psy-ops?  
  
Probably not, since just the thought made him want to kill himself.  
  
***  
  
"Hey, Zane," Jondy caught the other transgenic's attention at lunch, sitting next to him.  
  
"Jon, hey," he smiled, "What's up?"  
  
"You think it's a little weird they want Max to go into heat on a mission?"  
  
"They WHAT?" Zane gasped, turning to her immediately as she gave him all the information she had.  
  
He shook his head, "That doesn't make sense. The only reason they would do that is to insure that she actually goes through with it...or because they want her to get pregnant."  
  
"Or both?" Jondy suggested hesitantly.  
  
"They'd have no reason to think she wouldn't go through with an order," Zane shook his head, "They don't know she's with Ben."  
  
Jondy looked at him sharply, "YOU do?"  
  
He rolled his eyes, "Who doesn't?"  
  
"EVERYONE."  
  
"Except you, apparently."  
  
"Well, I'm very smart."  
  
"Or you know what sex smells like," Zane smirked, "Which begs other questions."  
  
"OK, focus, dick," Jondy glared at him, "Why do they want Max pregnant?"  
  
"I actually gave up trying to understand their motivation years ago," Zane shrugged. "The bigger concern is what they'll do to Ben when he kills White."  
  
"He's going to kill White?"  
  
Zane eyed her incredulously, "If he catches him with Max? Oh, yeah. It's over."  
  
***  
  
"We wait for his contact to arrive and we take them both down," White spoke into his com link.  
  
Max watched him carefully, her breathing picking up speed as the heat of the room wrapped around her.  
  
"What happens when we catch them?" she breathed the question, removing her jacket and tossing it aside.  
  
"We find out what's going on," White told her, his eyes darting over her body. "Cold?" he raised an eyebrow at her, his gaze dropping to her chest.  
  
"Just the opposite," she smiled, inwardly frowning at the thrill that jumped through her system at his perusal. He wasn't Ben, but the desire to run her hands over his body, to feel him tight against her was beginning to overpower her.  
  
Guilt poured through her and she turned away. She'd been more or less prepared to go through with her mission, but not enjoy it or need it as she did now.  
  
"Going radio silent," White's voice washed over her and a tear slipped down her cheek.  
  
She felt his hands on her shoulders and leaned into them, her body humming as her heart thumped painfully.  
  
***  
  
Thought of the mission blew from his head the second he touched down in Seattle. If Max was in heat, there was no way in hell he would just watch some guy...  
  
Ben gritted his teeth, pushing the accelerator to the floor, even as he swung the corner, coming to a shrieking halt in front of the only address he had.  
  
He bounded up the steps to knock on the door, just barely surpressing the desire to kick the damn thing in.  
  
"Coming," he heard a woman's voice call from inside.  
  
Tapping his foot impatiently, he waited for what seemed a year or two before she opened the door.  
  
"Can I help you?" a blonde woman in her mid-thirties looked back at him, holding a toddler in her arms.  
  
Ben held up the badge Manticore gave him, "Benjamin McDowell, FBI. I'm looking for Ames White."  
  
The woman blanched at the information, "I'm Mrs. White, could I ask what this is regarding?"  
  
"We believe your husband is in danger, ma'am, do you know where I could find him?"  
  
"I-," she shook her head, "He's on assignment."  
  
"It's urgent that I get in contact with him, ma'am," Ben resisted the urge to strangle the woman as she stared back at him, in obvious shock. Fuck, if she started crying, he would be seriously tempted to hit her.  
  
"I...have his cell phone number."  
  
"Any address or phone number you have would benefit him greatly right now, ma'am."  
  
She nodded quickly, "Do you have a pen?"  
  
"Just tell me," he said quickly. If she had to search for a pen and paper, he would go over the edge into complete insanity.  
  
She gave him White's cell phone number and he was oddly tempted to bitch her out for not knowing more. Honestly, her husband was out cheating on her and she wasn't the least bit curious where he was?  
  
"He's on a stake out tonight," she nodded confidedantly.  
  
Ben wondered spitefully if that was what they were calling it now days.  
  
He hoped she was right, though, if they were on the job, they couldn't just take a break for sex, right? Pushing aside the thought of heat and training mat quickies, Ben thought it best to call immediately.  
  
***  
  
The phone rang, but White shut it off, his hands moving to Max's tank top and tugging it off as she growled, low in her throat.  
  
***  
  
It was a risk, they decided in the end, but the worst they could get was a 'Mind your own business, soldier,' so they decided to try it out anyway.  
  
"Why did they give Max drugs to go into heat?" Zane asked Lydecker at training.  
  
Every eye swung to Zane and Lydecker frowned.  
  
"Max is on special op, soldier, it's an assassignation."  
  
"I'd check in the med center to make sure of that, sir," Zane told him seriously.  
  
Jondy watched the exchange carefully, noticing Lydecker's discomfort.  
  
"Let's keep this information quiet," their commander looked around at all of them, his eyes meeting hers.  
  
He didn't know about it.  
  
Interesting.  
  
***  
  
Ben strolled into an office building, the obvious and weak cover for a government operation.  
  
"Benjamin McDowell," he flashed his badge, stopping in front of the desk in the middle of the room, "I need to get ahold of White asap."  
  
The woman gave him a wide-eyed look, which he ignored.  
  
"He's in danger, the longer you wait, the more you risk his life."  
  
Calmly, he met her eyes, not bothering to hide his impatience as she picked up the phone.  
  
"Agent Gottlieb will see you," she murmured, gesturing back.  
  
He didn't give the man time to stand up. "The stake out Agent White is on right now is dangerous. Is he alone?"  
  
"He's with another agent..." the man told him in confusion, "Who did you say you were?"  
  
"FBI," Ben flashed his badge again. "Is the agent in question Maxine Guevara?"  
  
"How did you...?"  
  
"She's an assassin," Ben told him, meeting his eye, "I need to bring her in before she harms him."  
  
Agent Gottlieb nodded, "I'll send in a team to take her out."  
  
Ben shook his head, "Take me there, she's not working alone."  
  
Smirking slightly with the knowledge that he completely and totally disregarded his orders, he picked up his pace, thankful that Gottlieb seemed in just as much of a hurry as he was.  
  
***  
  
The last remant of her clothes left her body and Max sighed in a haze of blinding sexual need.  
  
"Hurry," she whispered as he stepped back to stare at her, his eyes suddenly narrowing.  
  
"What's this?" he asked, yanking her arm toward him.  
  
Confused, she looked down at her own arm as black markings appeared on her skin. She shook her head quickly, swallowing, "I...I don't know."  
  
For a moment he didn't move as his eyes ran over her arm.  
  
"I know what you are," he muttered in disgust, his eyes raking over her.  
  
Sudden, unexplainable fear overtook her as she stepped back from his hatred, bringing an abrupt chill to the raging heat in her body.  
  
For the first time in her life, she felt danger. 


	8. Chapter Eight The End

Not My Brother, Chapter Eight

The fist that rose to meet her face was hard and punishing, sending her to the floor in shock.

Jumping to her feet, her lust momentarily forgotten, she struck back, only to find her blow blocked by the man in front of her.

Max gaped at White in shock, trying to piece together what was going on.  She watched, almost detached, as his fists rained against her in a fury of violence.  Some moves, she blocked automatically, others slid by, marking her skin almost immediately with deep, ugly bruises.

"How..." the question started on her lips and he backhanded her.

"Animals don't talk," he sneered, kneeing her in the stomach and kicking her repeatedly as she fell.

Rolling away from him quickly, Max jumped to her feet, eyeing her attacker.

He knew she was transgenic, which was the only reason he'd stopped.  It all had something to do with the weird ass marks on her arm, but she could never find out if she didn't get away.

The mission was pretty much a bust at this point.

Focusing her energy, she blurred at him, not letting up her attack as she struck again and again, unmindful of the blows he landed on her body as well.  Blocking the heat of his body and the need in hers.  Above all other instinct, she needed to survive.

Max dropped, sweeping his feet.  He went down hard, but flipped, pinning her to the ground as she struggled against him.

He stared into her eyes, unyielding, anger radiating from his eyes.

They were still for a moment and all that filled the air was their harsh breathing, quiet in a house surrounded by the racket of the city.

The sudden pause in fighting threw Max off kilter, her hormones rising to the forefront as she warmed to White's body, directly above her.  She licked her lips, her body relaxing as she arched into him, need flowing through her more forcefully than before.

White swallowed, confusion overcoming his features as he stared at her, lowering his lips.

"Step away," the hammer of a gun clicked into place and Max's eyes flew to the door, her heart hammering at the voice.

Ben.  

A dazed smile spread over her as White got up, "What seems to be the problem here?"

Agent Gottlieb stepped into the room, "Sir, the woman with..." his voice trailed off as his mouth dropped.

Noticing his distraction, Max smiled at him.

***

Renfro followed her soldier grimly.

Everything about the situation felt wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was.  When Ben entered the building White was in, she picked up her phone.

"Sandeman?  I think we have a problem."

***  

Ben tried to block out the image of Max with the other man, but it was impossible.  Tried to tell himself she was in heat, but the jealousy overwhelmed him.

He watched as her eyes flickered to the man next to her and she smiled, that damn seductive smile that destroyed his control was going to another man.

And suddenly, it didn't matter that he had a plan, didn't matter that things would work out just fine if he stuck to it, the fury inside him lashed out and backhanded the agent beside him.  

Max's eyes went wide and she looked back at him, springing to her feet, her beautiful body lithe and lovely in movement.  His gun never left White as he stared at her, frowning as he took in the odd markings and bruises.  Bruises.

Gritting his teeth, he glared at White, "You hurt her?"

"Not enough."

Every muscle in Ben's body tightened as he looked from White to Max and back.  Never in his life had Ben wanted any one person to die more deeply than he did at that moment.  Not even in psy-ops.  

He hurt her.  Ben hadn't even known it was possible for an ordinary to hurt her, but this one had done it.

"Ben..." her soft voice reached out to him and he was only more enraged.

"BEN!" Max gasped again, stepping up next to him, "We needed him alive!"

He blinked at her and then back to White, clutching his stomach on the floor, blood pumping from his body.  Ben couldn't even remember shooting him, but wasn't sorry.

"He's better off dead," Ben muttered, tucking his gun into the back of his pants and turning to Max for the first real time, his eyes running over her.

"Target leaving the house, sir," the radio buzzed.

"Ben..." she was frowning, but stopped as their eyes caught and held.

He felt no rush of the pheromones he knew would be there, he wasn't overpowered with the primitive need to fuck her until they collapsed.  His sense of smell didn't rob him of his choice.

That would be Max's nakedness.

***

The older man joined Renfro at the bus stop.

"What's the problem?"

"I think your son may be in danger."

"Danger?  How."

Renfro shook her head, "Just a gut feeling.  There was something off about the X5 I sent to protect the girl."

***

Max noticed his perusal and her body caught fire.  She didn't have to pull away, she didn't have to do anything but jump him.

A wide smile broke over her face as she let go, allowing instinct to overwhelm her senses and focus on Ben.

He met her halfway and they came together in a possessive kiss that sucked the breath from her body.  It was right, the completion of everything her body craved and she drank it in until she overflowed with the need to possess more and more of him.

"Ben…" she moaned against his mouth, "I need you."

He sent merely a glance to the body on the floor and brought her body so tightly against him, Max wanted to purr at the pleasure of it.  

She could feel him more intensely than anything she'd ever felt and she needed it to survive, needed him.

His name was a prayer and a plea on her lips as they frantically tried to rid themselves of the obstacles between them.

***

Jondy knocked on Lydecker's door.

"Busy."

Zane kicked the door in.

Their commander looked up in alarm, shutting the computer off abruptly.

"That's bad for computers, you know," Jondy commented.

"Do I need to call security?" Lydecker raised his eyebrows.

"You could," Zane shrugged, "But if you want our help, that wouldn't be wise."

A half smile appeared briefly on Lydecker's face before he rebooted his computer.

"It seems that Director Renfro has some other business to attend to.  She left right after Ben this morning."

"And that is unusual, sir?" Jondy frowned.

"When the helicopter goes the opposite direction of where she says, yes.  Very."

"Do you know where she went?" Zane looked at Lydecker expectantly.

***

He couldn't smell her pheromones, but her heat consumed him to the marrow of his bones until he ached with the need to take her.

It wouldn't be slow like their first joining, but raw and wild.  Max bit his lip, hard, and he slammed her against the wall.

A whisper of danger ran along his spine and Ben backed off immediately, leaving Max momentarily stunned until the door burst open.

"Against the wall," agents lifted their guns to the couple and Ben put up his hands tentatively, stepping between Max and the men.

"Let the lady dress," Ben nodded to the agents, holding his hands in the air as Max hurriedly re-dressed, casting frustrated glances at Ben and smirking as the officers watched her.

She slid the clothing on slowly, teasing all of them.

Ben shifted uncomfortably, pouting as the other men stared at her.

***

A look was all that was needed to inform Zane what Lydecker thought of his questions.

Did he know where she was?  Deck rolled his eyes.

"Renfro isn't the only one that runs a few extra missions on the side," he pointed to the screen.  "This is hover drone footage you can thank Max and Ben for."

"Who is that with Renfro?"  Jondy frowned.

Lydecker swallowed as his boss's companion turned around.  "His name is Sandeman."

"Where are they going?"

***

Max smiled, winking at the men at the door as their mouths dropped, their weapons lowering for a moment as she licked her lips slowly, buttoning her pants.

Suddenly, they were on the floor and Max blinked, turning to Ben in surprise.

"Stop that," he muttered, glaring at her.

"You're the one that pulled away," she shrugged, stalking him.  "Don't you want me, Ben?" she licked her lips.

"Max, we need to get out of here," he took her hand, "And then I promise…" he kissed her hand, open-mouthed, running his tongue around her knuckle.

She pulled him after her fiercely, exiting the building.

"Hold it, 452."

Max leapt as a tazer met her back.

***

"Shit!" Jondy jumped off the chair, "Where will they take them?"

Deck was already on the phone, "I need a helicopter here asap for an emergency operation."

***

Blood covered the floor as Sandeman knelt next to the body of his son.

"There's nothing you can do," Renfro shook her head at her companion.

"He never agreed with me," the old man whispered, "Didn't believe we needed help to achieve the greatness we seek."

"But he saw the tests," Renfro shook her head.

"He cursed me for going against tradition."

"Was he expecting her?" 

"One day, he knew it would happen.  But my son would change nothing because of me.  Even if it meant I won."

"What will you do, then?"

"My plans are forfeit now.  I wanted it to be our blood with the power.  My grandson to be the first of the line, death to all he chose," Sandeman shook his head.  "But it's too late."

"Surely another one of us…"

"No, I gave up the faith and I'm being punished.  It ends today."

***

"Bring the disks," Lydecker commanded, boarding the helicopter with Jondy and Zane.

"What are we looking for?" Zane scrolled through X5 genetic information, heat sequences, fertility and diseases.

"Anything about 452 or heat."

***

Slowly, Max woke up in a jail cell, shaking her head in confusion as she looked around.

"Ben?" she muttered weakly, trying to remember how they'd gotten here.

"Max?" his voice answered her and she turned to the next cell.

They both sat up on their cots, disoriented.

"Was that…Renfro?" Max frowned and Ben shrugged.

"I'm not sure, are you okay?" he lifted himself off the cot and leaned against the bars.

"Fine," she smiled, getting up to slip her arms around him and nuzzling against him through the bars.

"Finally some alone time and we're separated," Ben pouted playfully.

"There must be a way around that," Max whispered, licking his jaw line.

Ben's arms came through the bars and pulled her against him.  They could just barely feel each other and Max rubbed herself against him, sliding up and down the bars to feel the friction against her.

Sighing his name, Max clawed at the back of his neck, trying to bring him closer to her through the bars.

He captured her lips and she devoured him, trying to push closer than the bars would allow.

***

"Are you sure about this?" Renfro looked at her leader in apprehension.

He nodded, "It's time.  Our people will find their own way.  Gather everyone for the ceremony."

***

"There's nothing here," Zane resisted the urge to through the laptop in exasperation.

"I got something…sorta," Jondy made a face.  "It looks like Max's genetic make-up differs from the rest of us."

Zane looked over her shoulder, "That looks like a virus."

"It is," Lydecker muttered.

***

His taste was driving her crazy with need and she clawed desperately at his clothing.  Mere touch wasn't enough.

She could barely think, let alone come up with a logistic solution to the driving need for him to take her.

It was all she needed or wanted at that moment and the mere fact that this was the man she loved only made the drive fiercer.  Desperation built on desire until she wanted to explode from the heat inside her.

"Ben, help," she moaned against his lips.

***

Forcing himself to think, he tried to answer the instinctual call within his mate.

Surely, if they hadn't cut off his senses, he'd have broken the bars to get to her, or screwed her right through them. 

Ben's eyes fell shut as he smiled, obeying the images in his mind as, in spite of smell, instinct overwhelmed his senses.

***

"There's tons of shit about blood," Zane shrugged, "Should I look at that?"

"Might be smart, dumb ass," Jondy rolled her eyes.  "There's something weird about Max's blood."

"Besides the virus?"

"Her testosterone levels are way above normal.  It's like she's…you."

"Are you sure you have the right file?"

"Yeah…I'm just not sure why she doesn't have facial hair."

Zane made a face, "You think Ben would still want her if she had facial hair?"

Jondy kicked him and Lydecker turned to them with a slight smile, "Something you need to tell me, soldiers?"

"Nope," Jondy went back to the computer in front of her.  

"Ben thinks Max is hot," Zane grinned, "Don't we all?"

"Can we schedule him for psy-ops?" Jondy asked Lydecker.

Zane winked at her, "Jealous?"

"Is that the same as repulsed?" she gave him a wide-eyed look.

"They make a cute couple," Lydecker interrupted calmly, turning to Jondy, "You were saying something about hormones?"

***

"What the…" a voice interrupted the couple and Ben stilled, turning his head sharply to meet the gaze of a horrified young guard.

***

Max sent a look of pure frustration at the guard who interrupted them.

"Keep going," she moaned, "NOW, Ben!"

It didn't matter if the guard left or if he was still standing there, watching them.  He could fucking record it, for all Max cared as long as Ben kept going forever.

***

"Oh, god, BEN!" echoed throughout the cell block.

The guard in the next room hesitantly uncovered the receiver of his phone.

"Yes, sir, I checked on the prisoners."

"We'll be over to get them soon."

"Uhh…could you give it a few minutes?"

***

"So the virus could be released if her testosterone levels drop," Zane frowned, "But what could do that?"

Lydecker shrugged, "Pregnancy, some type of birth control pills…  Anything that really raises estrogen levels…the first few hours after she breaks her heat, in theory."

"So if Max took birth control pills, she could die?" Zane didn't appear happy with the idea.

"No, it shouldn't affect her," Jondy shook her head, "She's just a carrier.  What do you mean 'breaks' her heat?"

"If she was assuaged sexually," Lydecker pursed his lips in annoyance.

"Can that happen?" Jondy wrinkled her nose, "I thought it just lasted a few days and then it was over."

"We've never studied heat in more than theory.  It's possible."

"Would she pass the virus on to a child?"

"The trait to carry it, yes, but if everything went well, the baby wouldn't be affected."

Zane ran a hand through his hair, "We can only really assume that they wanted Max to get pregnant, since they made her go into heat and sent her to screw this FBI guy, but why him?  I'm sure Ben'd love to take care of that mission."

"Ben slash every other male at Manticore," Jondy commented wryly.

"Actually, I always thought Krit might be batting for the other team-"

Lydecker cleared his throat.

"Yeah, anyway," Zane shrugged, "Why some cop when Manticore could knock her up in some lab or get our own volunteers for the job?"

***

Max felt almost delirious in her relaxation.  Enough to almost ignore the bars that prevented her from properly cuddling in the afterglow of their wild lovemaking.

They were sitting against the bars, arms wrapped awkwardly around each other as they sighed in complete exhaustion.

"Keep going," Ben chuckled softly.

Max turned a playful glare on him, "Next time you're in heat, you try stopping."

"Oh, I couldn't stop as it was," he smiled, raising her hand to his lips.

"So…we seem to have ignored the fact that we're in jail," Max grinned, despite the potential danger of the situation.  "How did that happen?"

"No clue," Ben smirked, "But I'd be up to doing it again sometime."

Max giggled, she'd never had more fun incarcerated.

***

The same guard stomped into their cell block and Ben bit his lip to hold back the laughter as the young man blushed brightly.

"Transport is ready for you," he announced as several other guards entered the cell block after him.

Sighing, Ben got to his feet.  Whatever was in store for them couldn't possibly compare to the last couple hours.

A glance at Max was enough to make it clear that however unhappy she was at the interruption of their post-sex-goofiness, she was NOT still in heat.

It was a huge relief, as he wasn't sure he had the energy to kill anyone for at least half an hour.

***

"Where is that?" Zane gestured to his video display as Sandeman and Renfro got out of a car and entered a building, joining many others.  

Jondy shrugged, "Guess we'll find out.  Question…do we HAVE to dress like that?" she gestured at oddly cloaked and painted people.  "Seriously, I'm not a grim reaper."

***

"We're gathered," Renfro turned to Sandeman.

"It is time, then."

***

They were brought in front of a huge audience.  Some were public figures, some were normal people…all were dressed abominably.  

Chains prevented them from moving as Renfro approached them.

"Sorry, 452, you should have obeyed your orders," she shrugged, pulling out a thick needle and digging it deep into Max's arm.

Ben's eyes widened in horror as blood flowed, thick, through a huge tube, pooling in a large basin as the crowd screamed in appreciation.

They'll take you to the Nomalies… 

His own words came back to him.

…_and drink your blood…_

"You'll kill her, stop!" he looked at Max in alarm as more and more blood flowed from her body.

"IT IS TIME!" Sandeman's voice rang out as he picked up a megaphone.  "For a long time, I thought the way of our people was through science, through these animals I've brought today.  But we are above them, above all!  And it is coming.  Without them!  Time will bring us to our destiny!"

***

Zane and Jondy exchanged glances.  

"Disturbed," they agreed.  

Lydecker's lips twitched and Sandeman babbled on about their destiny and the mutant destruction.

"Why are they draining Maxie's blood, Deck?" Jondy tapped her foot in frustration, annoyed that they couldn't just snatch Max and Ben without getting all of them killed in such a large group of people.

Lydecker shook his head.

"Come FORWARD, to prove your mettle!"

Everyone in the large arena drew knives and walked forward.

Jondy held Zane back from protecting Max and Ben, wincing as she did so.  "Too many," she shook her head helplessly.

"In the beginning!" Sandeman shouted, "We fought the animals for supremacy.  Now, we do so again, but animals of my own creation, built to perpetuate our race.  This female was the prototype, but in my blindness, my son lost his life and now I give her to you," he raised his own knife, "For our fathers!"

"And our sons!" the crowd cried back to him.

"Ohh…kay," Jondy turned to the others, "They wanted to use Max as some kind of…what, brood mare?"

Even Lydecker looked disgusted by the turn of events, which was odd considering his occupation.

The cult filed to the basin, each dropping their hand into the growing pool of blood as Ben struggled against his chains.

Jondy frowned, looking at Max.  "Why isn't she looking at the men?"

Zane shrugged, "She's practically delirious, we need to get her."

"But she's in heat, she'd still be staring at the men…right?"

Lydecker's eyebrows furrowed at Jondy's question, but Zane shrugged it off.

"I guess that depends how long she was with Ben, doesn't it?" he smirked.

A small smile played on Lydecker's face.  "Be ready to move."

***

Renfro pulled the needle from Max's arm much to late, to Ben's way of thinking, before drawing her own knife and dipping it, last, into the pool of her soldier's blood.

"Fenos' Tol!" Sandeman's voice rang out.

And all of the cult members answered back, raising their bloody knives in the air…and slicing into their own arms.

***

"Go!" Lydecker didn't have to speak twice before Zane and Jondy blurred across the stage, ripping the chains from their siblings and fighting off the oddly sluggish movements of all that opposed them.

Strolling calmly in their wake, Lydecker crouched next to Renfro, who blinked confusedly up at him as everyone else in the auditorium seemed to come across a similar malaise, falling in droves.

"Do you remember, Elizabeth, when we studied theories on how transgenics would react to heat…before and after?"

She blinked at him in a daze.

"Well, let me refresh your memory.  I thought hormone levels would go haywire, taking a huge drop in testosterone.  Just thought you should know…I was right," he smiled, strolling over to his kids as Elizabeth Renfro took her last breath.

***

With three blood donors, Max recovered quicker than most cult victims.  Ben hovered over her, fussing like a woman.

"Just kiss her, 493," Lydecker sighed, "We know you want to."

Max and Ben just gaped at him.

Shaking his head, Deck turned to Jondy and Zane, "They really don't know how obvious they are?"

"No, Sir," Jondy shook her head

"They're pathetic, Sir," Zane chorused.  

Max scowled at her traitorous siblings.

"So what happens now?" Ben coughed, trying to change the subject.

Lydecker smiled, "I'm sure we can arrange something more to your liking."

"That could be discussed," Jondy smiled, "Let's go…we'll leave them alone," she made a face at Max and Ben.

"So…" Max smiled shyly when the were alone, "An insane cult…just committed mass suicide."

Ben grinned, "And that wasn't even the most interesting part of the day."

Max chuckled, "How does it feel knowing that since we had sex, hundreds of people are dead?"

"Pretty powerful," Ben grinned, "I think it's our duty to continue as often as possible."

"To save the world from crazed cults?"

"It would only be fair," Ben nodded enthusiastically.

"Cruel of us not to, really."

"Come on, you guys!" Jondy yelled at them, "You can screw around later!  Let's go eat!"

They ignored her.

THE END


End file.
